South of Ancona

<< Marche

South of Ancona is a hilly region near the Adriatic Sea. Just south of the city is Monte Conero, a rocky promontory featuring some seaside resorts. More inland are various historic towns among the hills, most notably Loreto, famous for its religious site.

Monte Conero

Monte Conero is a rocky promontory located along the coast of the Adriatic Sea south of Ancona. The area is a popular tourist destination thanks to its natural beauty, and is protected as part of the Regional Park of Conero (Parco Regionale del Conero).

Badia of San Pietro al Conero

The Badia of San Pietro al Conero is a historic church located almost at the top of Monte Conero. The church was built in the Late Middle Ages as an hermitage, and features various Romanesque decorations. After a period of abandonment, part of the complex has been turned into a hotel.

Portonovo

Portonovo is a tiny seaside resort located on the northern coast of Monte Conero. It is a popular summer destination thanks to its beaches, and it also features two small lakes. The Romanesque Church of Santa Maria di Portonovo, erected in the Late Middle Ages, is located nearby.

Sirolo

Sirolo is a small town located on the southern side of Monte Conero, known for its medieval old town and for hosting some of the most popular beaches in the area.

Numana

Numana is a small town located just south of Sirolo. The center of Numana is located on top of a cliff and features a panoramic terrace and an archaeological museum, the State Antiquarium of Numana (Antiquarium Statale di Numana). The town also features some historic landmarks such as the Arco di Torre, which is the only remaining part of a medieval bell tower destroyed by an earthquake in 1930. Numana is also known for its beaches.

Loreto

Loreto is a town among the hills of the Province of Ancona, known for hosting one of the most important Catholic religious sites.

✪ Basilica della Santa Casa

The Basilica della Santa Casa is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites, located on top of a hill in Loreto. The church was built starting in the 15th century in Gothic and Renaissance style. The basilica features a decorated facade and a bell tower designed by Vanvitelli in the 18th century, while its interiors host various artworks and richly frescoed chapels and halls. The church is known for hosting the Santa Casa (“Holy House”), a house where, according to tradition, Mary, mother of Jesus, lived in Nazareth. The Santa Casa was supposedly brought here from Palestine at the end of the 13th century, before the expulsion of the Christian Crusaders. The house is surrounded by elaborate marble walls, sculpted during the Renaissance and designed by Bramante. Inside the house, a niche contains the statue of a Black Madonna.

Pontifical Museum of the Holy House

The Pontifical Museum of the Holy House (Museo Pontificio della Santa Casa) is a museum hosted inside the Palazzo Apostolico, a historic palace adjacent to the Basilica of the Santa Casa facing Piazza della Madonna. The museum houses numerous artworks spanning several centuries, incuding paintings by Lorenzo Lotto, some Flemish tapestries, and objects from an ancient pharmacy.

Castelfidardo

Castelfidardo is a town located south of Ancona. The city emerged in the Middle Ages, and it is known as the site of a battle in 1860 in which the Piedmontese forces defeated the Papal States during the wars of the Italian unification.

National Monument of Marche

The National Monument of Marche (Monumento Nazionale delle Marche) is a large monument erected in Castelfidardo in 1912, dedicated to the battle that was fought here in 1860. Designed by sculptor Vito Pardo, it depicts a group of soldiers led by general Enrico Cialdini. An ossuary is located near the monument.

Museum of the Risorgimento of Castelfidardo

The Museum of the Risorgimento (Museo del Risorgimento) of Castelfidardo is a museum dedicated to the Battle of Castelfidardo, which was fought here in 1860, and the Italian Risorgimento. The museum houses various objects and memorabilia from that era.

International Accordion Museum

The International Accordion Museum (Museo Internazionale della Fisarmonica) is a museum in Castelfidardo dedicated to the accordion, a musical instrument that has been produced in this city since the 19th century. The museum houses numerous historic musical instruments.

Osimo

Osimo is a city located south of Ancona. Founded in ancient times, it was a Roman town with the name Auximum, and was for centuries one of the main centers in the region. After a period as a free comune, it was ruled by the Papal States until the Italian unification.

Osimo Cathedral

Also known as: Co-Cathedral of San Leopardo (Concattedrale di San Leopardo)

The Osimo Cathedral (Duomo di Osimo) is the main religious site in Osimo. Founded in the Early Middle Ages, it was later reworked with the addition of Gothic elements to the original Romanesque structure. The church houses some artworks and a crypt hosting ancient relics and tombs. Adjacent to the cathedral is a small church used as baptistery. A small museum of religious art is located near the cathedral.

Basilica of San Giuseppe da Copertino

The Basilica of San Giuseppe da Copertino is a church originally built in Romanesque and Gothic style in Osimo during the 13th century. The church was later reworked in Baroque style, turning it into a sanctuary dedicated to Saint Joseph of Cupertino. The crypt of the basilica houses the tomb of the saint.

Osimo Caves

A series of tunnels, known as the Osimo Caves (Grotte di Osimo) run under the town of Osimo. The tunnels were built over the course of several centuries to serve various uses, and feature a few ancient reliefs. Some sections of the tunnels can be visited.

Offagna

Offagna is a small town located on top of a hill south of Ancona, best known for hosting a historic castle.

Rocca of Offagna

The Rocca of Offagna is a 15th-century castle built by the rulers of Ancona, and at the time it was one of the most important fortifications in the area. The fort is well preserved and features a tall tower. The castle now hosts a museum of local history and ancient weapons.